How Japan's public holidays are set
Japan's national holidays are defined by the Act on National Holidays (国民の祝日に関する法律). There are sixteen of them. Some fall on a fixed date, such as New Year's Day (1 January), National Foundation Day (11 February) and Culture Day (3 November). Four are "Happy Monday" holidays that always fall on a Monday so that people get a three-day weekend: Coming of Age Day (second Monday of January), Marine Day (third Monday of July), Respect for the Aged Day (third Monday of September) and Sports Day (second Monday of October). The spring and autumn equinox days move by a day or so from year to year because they follow the actual equinox.
Two extra rules create more days off:
- Substitute holiday (振替休日): when a national holiday falls on a Sunday, the next day that is not itself a holiday becomes a day off. Usually this is the Monday, but in Golden Week it can be 6 May. There is no substitute for a holiday that falls on a Saturday.
- Citizens' holiday (国民の休日): an ordinary day sandwiched between two national holidays also becomes a day off. Today this mainly happens in September, when Respect for the Aged Day and Autumnal Equinox Day are two days apart, as in 2026, 2032, 2037.
The official dates of the equinox days are announced in the government gazette on 1 February of the year before. For years further ahead, this tool uses the standard astronomical approximation, so treat those dates as forecasts. The special moves of Marine Day, Sports Day and Mountain Day for the Tokyo Olympics in 2020 and 2021 are included.
Japan public holidays in 2026
| Date | Holiday | Japanese name |
|---|---|---|
| Thu, Jan 1 | New Year's Day | 元日 |
| Mon, Jan 12 | Coming of Age Day | 成人の日 |
| Wed, Feb 11 | National Foundation Day | 建国記念の日 |
| Mon, Feb 23 | Emperor's Birthday | 天皇誕生日 |
| Fri, Mar 20 | Vernal Equinox Day | 春分の日 |
| Wed, Apr 29 | Showa Day | 昭和の日 |
| Sun, May 3 | Constitution Memorial Day | 憲法記念日 |
| Mon, May 4 | Greenery Day | みどりの日 |
| Tue, May 5 | Children's Day | こどもの日 |
| Wed, May 6 | Substitute holiday | 振替休日 |
| Mon, Jul 20 | Marine Day | 海の日 |
| Tue, Aug 11 | Mountain Day | 山の日 |
| Mon, Sep 21 | Respect for the Aged Day | 敬老の日 |
| Tue, Sep 22 | Citizens' holiday (bridge day) | 国民の休日 |
| Wed, Sep 23 | Autumnal Equinox Day | 秋分の日 |
| Mon, Oct 12 | Sports Day | スポーツの日 |
| Tue, Nov 3 | Culture Day | 文化の日 |
| Mon, Nov 23 | Labor Thanksgiving Day | 勤労感謝の日 |
Japan public holidays in 2027
| Date | Holiday | Japanese name |
|---|---|---|
| Fri, Jan 1 | New Year's Day | 元日 |
| Mon, Jan 11 | Coming of Age Day | 成人の日 |
| Thu, Feb 11 | National Foundation Day | 建国記念の日 |
| Tue, Feb 23 | Emperor's Birthday | 天皇誕生日 |
| Sun, Mar 21 | Vernal Equinox Day | 春分の日 |
| Mon, Mar 22 | Substitute holiday | 振替休日 |
| Thu, Apr 29 | Showa Day | 昭和の日 |
| Mon, May 3 | Constitution Memorial Day | 憲法記念日 |
| Tue, May 4 | Greenery Day | みどりの日 |
| Wed, May 5 | Children's Day | こどもの日 |
| Mon, Jul 19 | Marine Day | 海の日 |
| Wed, Aug 11 | Mountain Day | 山の日 |
| Mon, Sep 20 | Respect for the Aged Day | 敬老の日 |
| Thu, Sep 23 | Autumnal Equinox Day | 秋分の日 |
| Mon, Oct 11 | Sports Day | スポーツの日 |
| Wed, Nov 3 | Culture Day | 文化の日 |
| Tue, Nov 23 | Labor Thanksgiving Day | 勤労感謝の日 |
Long weekends in 2027
- Fri, Jan 1 – Sun, Jan 3 (3 days)
- Sat, Jan 9 – Mon, Jan 11 (3 days)
- Sat, Mar 20 – Mon, Mar 22 (3 days)
- Sat, May 1 – Wed, May 5 (5 days)
- Sat, Jul 17 – Mon, Jul 19 (3 days)
- Sat, Sep 18 – Mon, Sep 20 (3 days)
- Sat, Oct 9 – Mon, Oct 11 (3 days)
Busy seasons that are not on the list
Several of the busiest travel periods in Japan are not national holidays at all, so they will not show up above:
- New Year (oshōgatsu): only 1 January is a national holiday, but government offices close from 29 December to 3 January and banks from 31 December to 3 January. Many shops, restaurants and companies close for several days, and trains are packed with people heading home.
- Obon: in mid-August many people take time off to visit their family home. It is not a public holiday, but some businesses close for a few days around 13–16 August and travel prices rise.
- Golden Week: Showa Day (29 April), Constitution Memorial Day (3 May), Greenery Day (4 May) and Children's Day (5 May) together with weekends create one of the busiest weeks of the year. Book trains and hotels early.
- Silver Week: the name used when September holidays join up into a run of five days, as they do when a citizens' holiday occurs.
What is open on a public holiday?
Most shops, department stores, restaurants, tourist sites and convenience stores stay open on national holidays, and trains usually run on the weekend timetable. Banks, post office counters, city offices and immigration offices are closed, and many clinics are too. Museums that close on Mondays usually open on a holiday Monday and close on the following weekday instead. If you need to visit a city office, sort out a residence card or send money, plan around the dates above.
Holidays can be added or moved by changing the law, as happened in 2020 and 2021. For anything important, also check the Cabinet Office page on national holidays.
Frequently asked questions
- Is there a substitute holiday when a holiday falls on a Saturday?
- No. Japan only gives a substitute holiday when a national holiday falls on a Sunday.
- When is Golden Week?
- It is the cluster of holidays from 29 April to 5 May (Showa Day, Constitution Memorial Day, Greenery Day and Children's Day). How many days off in a row you get depends on where the weekends fall that year.
- Are banks open during New Year?
- No. Banks in Japan close from 31 December to 3 January, and government offices from 29 December to 3 January. Many ATMs still work, often with reduced hours.
- Are future equinox dates final?
- Not until they are announced in the official gazette on 1 February of the previous year. Dates further ahead are calculated forecasts.
Last updated: 2026-10-28